Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Obama and Others Speak At Opening Of New African American History and Culture Museum in D.C.; Police Give Press Briefing, Seek Information, Regarding Shooting in Washington State; Manhunt Underway For Mall Shooting Suspect; President Obama To Speak At Black History Museum. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired September 24, 2016 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:07]
CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: All right, I want to go with you now live to the opening ceremonies celebration of Smithsonian's newest museum, featuring the history and the culture of African Americans, here on the national mall.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: All right, looks like Robert De Niro there stepping up to the podium to speak, with Angela Bassett at this ceremony. We know that former President George W. Bush will speak, and we'll hear from President Obama next hour.
PAUL: And we will be seeing you back here again tomorrow morning. But for the moment we want to pass it over to Fredricka Whitfield.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right thank you Christie and Victor ...
PAUL: Good morning, Fred.
WHITFIELD: ... appreciate it.
We're going to continue to monitor what's taking place there in Washington as Angela Bassett and Robert De Niro will soon be introducing Congressman John Lewis. Obviously spending -- having a very pivotal role in the civil rights movement, the first president of SNCC (ph) organization when he was a very young man. He was very instrumental in helping to get that legislation passed in 2003 when President George W. Bush -- who will also be speaking momentarily -- to sign that legislation to make and release funding for that new African American museum there at the Smithsonian.
Of course, when that happens we'll dip into it. Meantime, it is the 11:00 Eastern hour, we are live here from Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. Site of the first presidential debate just two days away now. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, Newsroom starts right now.
All right and this breaking news, we continue to monitor the developments out in Washington State. We'll of course, get back to politics here. But first I want to update you on the breaking news that we have been following since late last night. At any moment now we expect to hear from police who are in the middle of a massive manhunt. They have been looking for a man who opened fire at a shopping mall in Washington State, killing five people.
It happened at a Macy's store about an hour outside of Seattle. And police say the victims, four women and one man, were all near a makeup counter at a Macy's store when a man walked in with a rifle and then started shooting.
That man seen in grainy video that you are about to see right there, surveillance photo, that man is still on the loose. CNN Producer, Alberto Moya is at the press conference which will get underway very momentarily. So Alberto, what more can you tell us about the investigation, and where they are targeting this search?
ALBERTO MOYA, CNN PRODUCER: Sure, Fredricka, we're here waiting as you said. In the next few minutes we hope to hear from several agencies involved in the search for this individual. As you mentioned, we just don't have a whole lot of information other than that grainy photo. There's a very brief description that was issued along with that photograph. The police describing him as a Hispanic young man somewhere between the ages of 20 to 25.
And he apparently is the main suspect in the shootout that took place at the Macy's store in a mall that's not too far from here. So we hope to hear from the Mayor of Burlington, the town where this incident took place. The Assistant Police chief is also supposed to brief us here. So hopefully we'll get some additional details about this manhunt.
We have been spending some time out in the streets looking for police activity. And we did notice that there were troopers that were stationed all the way back to Seattle. So we hope to get more information and bring that to you live in the next few minutes.
WHITFIELD: All right, thank you so much Alberto Moya. Appreciate that. And of course, when the press conference gets underway we'll take you there live. All right meantime, let's go to the nation's capital. Congressman John Lewis at the official opening of the new Smithsonian African American Museum.
CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS (D), GEORGIA: Mr. Chief Justice and members of the Board of Regents, to the Museum Advisory Council, Secretary David Skorton, and Doctor Lonnie Bunch. To the leadership of the United States Congress, and all of my colleagues in both the House and Senate. In memory of the late Representative Mickey Leland of Texas. The architects of this incredible building, and to all the staff of The White House, the federal agencies, the Congress, the Smithsonian, who pushed and pulled together to help make this moment happen, and to all of the construction companies and their crews, I say thank you.
Thank you for all you did to help lead our society to this magnificent day. As long as there is a United States of America, now there will be a National Museum of African American History and Culture. This is a great achievement.
I tell you, I feel like singing the song Mahalia Jackson sung at the March on Washington over 50 years ago, "How We Got Over," "How We Got Over." There were some who said it couldn't happen, who said "You can't do it," but we did it, we did it
We are gathered here today to dedicate a building, but this place is more than a building. It is a dream come true. You and I, each and every one of us, were caught up in a seed of light. We were a vision born in the minds of black Civil War veterans and their supporters. They met right here in Washington, D.C., in 1916. Exactly 100 years ago, the 19th Street Baptist Church, still in existence today. Oh say, oh, say. See what a dream can do.
[11:06:22] If you could roll up the sleeves of those veterans or touch the rubble on their backs, you might find the wounds of shackles and whips. Most could not read the Declaration of Independence or write their own names, but in their hearts burned enduring vision of true democracy that no threat of death could ever erase. They understood the meaning of their contribution, they set a possibility in motion, passed on down through the ages from heart to heart, and breath to breath, that we are giving birth today.
To this museum is a testament. To the dignity of the dispossessed in every corner of the globe who yearn for freedom. It is a song to the scholars and scribes, scientists and teachers, to the revolutionaries and the voices of protest. To the ministers and the authors of peace. It is the story of life, the story of our lives, wrapped up in a beautiful golden crown of grace.
I can hear the distant voice of our ancestors whispering by the night fire, "Steal away, steal away home. We ain't got long to stay here." Or a big, bold choir shouting, "I woke up this morning with my mind staying on freedom." All their voices roaming for centuries have finally found their home here, in this great monument to our pain, our suffering, and our victory.
When I was a little child growing up in rural Alabama -- a short walk to the cotton fields, but hundreds of miles from Washington, from the Washington Monument, or the Lincoln Memorial -- my teachers would tell us to cut out photographs of pictures of great African Americans for Carter G. Woodson's Negro History Week -- now called African American History month.
I became inspired by the stories of George Washington Carver, Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, and so many others whose life and work will be enshrined in this museum. As these doors open, it is my hope that each and every person who visits this beautiful museum will walk away deeply inspired, filled with a greater respect for the dignity and the worth of every human being. And a stronger commitment to the ideals of justice, equality, and true democracy. Thank you."
UNKNOWN WOMAN: Ladies and gentleman, former First Lady of The United States, Mrs. Laura Bush. LAURA BUSH, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: I am thrilled to
be here today. This is such a really terrific day. On December 16, 2003, President George W. Bush authorized a legislation for the establishment of a new Smithsonian museum -- The National Museum of African American History and Culture. When I toured the museum with Doctor Lonnie Bunch last week, we
reminisced about those beginning days of the museum. The legislation had been authorized, the site had been secured. Lonnie had been hired as the museum's director. I'll never forget Lonnie's poignant words when we considered the historic and cultural significance of what was to become.
Lonnie paused for dramatic effect, or so I thought, and then said, "what do we do now?" Lonnie, look what you've done. You and your team have truly achieved a monumental achievement, congratulations. Our next speaker signed the legislation and assured the museum's place on the national mall -- my husband, President George W. Bush.
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you all. Thank you, darling. Laura has been very much engaged in this museum for a long time. She sits on the board and we're honored to be here. My first reaction is, I hope all our fellow citizens come and look at this place -- it is fabulous.
Mister President, First Lady, Vice President, Chief Justice, David, thank you very much, the Board. I do want to give a shout-out to Lonnie. It's really important to understand this project would not, and could not have happened without his drive, his energy, and his optimism.
As Laura mentioned, 15 years ago, members from both parties -- Congressman John Lewis and Sam Brownback, then senator from Kansas -- informed me that they were about to introduce legislation creating a new museum to share the stories, and celebrate the achievements of African Americans.
You know it would be fair to say that the Congress and I did not always see eye to eye -- if you know what I mean, Mr. President. But this is one issue where we strongly agreed. I was honored to sign the bill authorizing the construction of this national treasure. And I'm pleased it now stands where it has always belonged, on the National Mall.
This museum is an important addition to our country for many reasons. Here are three. First, it shows our commitment to truth. A great nation does not hide its history, it faces its flaws and corrects them. This museum tells the truth, that a country founded on the promise of liberty held millions in chains. That the price of our union was America's original sin.
From the beginning, some spoke to truth. John Adams -- who called slavery an evil of colossal magnitude -- their voices were not heeded, and often not heard. But they were always known to a power greater than any on earth, one who loves his children and meant them to be free.
Second, this museum shows America's capacity to change. For centuries, slavery and segregation seemed permanent -- permanent parts of our national life. But not to Nat Turner or Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, or Martin Luther King Jr. All answered cruelty with courage and hope. In a society governed by the people, no wrong lasts forever. After struggle and sacrifice, the American people, acting through the most democratic of means, amended the constitution -- that originally treated slaves as three-fifths of a person -- to guarantee equal protection of the laws. After a decade of struggle, civil rights acts and voting rights act were finally enacted. Even today the journey toward justice is still not complete. But this museum will inspire us to go farther and get there faster.
And finally, the museum showcases the talent of some of our finest Americans. The galleries celebrate not only African American equality, but African American greatness. I can't help but note that -- I cannot help but note that a huge influence in my teenage years is honored here, the great Chuck Berry. Or my baseball idol growing up in far West Texas, the great Willie Mays. And of course, something I never really mastered -- the ability to give a good speech -- but Thurgood Marshall sure could. And some of you may know I'm a fledgling painter, a struggling artist. I have a new appreciation for the artists whose brilliant works are displayed here, people like Robert Duncanson, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Charles Henry Alston. Our country is better and more vibrant because of their contributions and the contributions of millions of African Americans. No telling of American history is neither complete nor accurate without acknowledging them.
The lesson in this museum is all -- that all Americans share a past and a future. By staying true to our principles, righting injustice, and encouraging the empowerment of all, we will be an even greater nation for generations to come. I congratulate all those who played a role in creating this wonderful museum. May God bless us all.
[11:17:48]
WHITFIELD: All right, poignant remarks there from President George W. Bush, having signed the 2003 legislation -- after many decades of trying to get this museum going -- he signed that legislation upping (ph) to release money to help fund this $540 million project.
Of course President Barack Obama will be speaking soon, and when he does, we'll take you back to the nation's capital there and the opening of the African American Museum of History and Culture.
For now we want to take you out to Washington state to follow up on that breaking news there. Where an armed gunman walked into a shopping mall in Burlington, Washington and opened fire killing five people. Right now, a press conference underway in Mt. Vernon, Washington. We want to take you there to listen in on the latest developments.
TOM MOSER, INCIDENT COMMANDER POLICE CHIEF: Good morning, my name's Tom Moser, I am the Assistant Chief of Burlington. I was Incident Commander through this event. On behalf of all law enforcement, fire departments, and our support agencies who have responded to this event, I wish to extend our sincere condolences to the families of the victims of this senseless tragedy. At about 7:00 p.m. last night, officers were dispatched to an active shooter inside of the Macy's store at the Cascade Mall, inside the Burlington city limits. Officers from over 26 agencies responded to Macy's. We had upwards of 200 officers on scene at one time.
The initial officers that arrived on scene, entered Macy's where they located four deceased females and a fifth male was transported by helicopter to Seattle Hospital. As officers arrived on scene last night, they were put into hasty search teams and responded inside the mall in teams anywhere from three to five officers.
We had officers from four counties, including three separate tactical teams. We had support teams, we had Northwest Management Incident Team, as well as many agencies -- I can't even start to tell you -- that were there last night. Through this event, the support made our officers' response to this a little easier. This was a long, drawn out process last night. As I was told this
morning, the mall is over 400,000 square feet. Our officers, upon arrival, helped escort individuals that were either employees or shoppers in the store outside. As they proceeded to search the entire mall, they located numerous employees and shoppers that had sheltered in place inside of individual businesses. And they were escorted out the building as well. All of our victims, witnesses, that were present at the time of the
shooting, were located and transported to a local church, where they were reunited with family members. At this time, we have learned that the suspect had already fled the mall prior to officer arrival. We did not know that throughout the search process.
[11:21:32]
The dedicated officers immediately responded. We had officers that respond that weren't called. We had them come from as far away as different parts of Snohomish county. And maybe even had some officers from King County. But definitely Island County, Whatcom County, and Smoke (ph) County officers. As well as many federal agencies were there, as well. All of these officers immediately reported for duty and joined teams.
The Skagit County Multi Agency Response Team, SMART, has taken charge of this investigation. At this time they are processing the Macy's store with the assistance of the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab. As far as the individual elements of this investigation, I'll let Lieutenant Chris Cammock address those with you. Thank you.
CHRIS CAMMOCK, MOUNT VERNON POLICE DEPARTMENT: Good morning, my name is Chris Cammock, I'm a Lieutenant with Mount Vernon Police Department. And I'm currently the Commander of Skagit's Multi Agency Response Team.
So, a background on the team, it's comprised of about 25 investigators from Skagit County, as well as the Washington State Patrol. Our primary role is typically when serious injury or death involves -- a situation involving a law enforcement officer, like an officer- involved shooting -- is what we're primarily called out to investigate. However, in these situations when an agency experiences a criminal
event where the magnitude of the event exceeds the resources that are available, the agency can activate SMART. In this case, Burlington Police Department activated SMART.
Our primary role is the investigative component of this scene, as Assistant Chief Moser just stated. The first few hours that we were on scene, were primarily in a mode waiting for the entire mall to be cleared. It took several hundred to do that, going through, clearing every room, every nook and cranny, to make sure that the suspect wasn't still on scene.
What we know right now from security footage that we've recovered, is that the suspect entered the mall without a weapon. About 10 minutes later, entered Macy's with a rifle, fired multiple times, struck -- again, four females ranging in age from a teenager to a, seniors. Also a male was struck and all four of those were mortally wounded.
Currently, our role out there and what we're working on is basically reconstructing the entire scene. And what that involves is photographing, videoing, forensic scanning, evidence collection -- including latent prints, DNA, and anything that we can do to put the scene back together.
We also have a team of detectives that are pursuing tips and leads that are coming in. And I believe either after, during this conference, we'll be providing you some screen captures from the security footage that we recovered, with the best available shots of the suspect that we could recover at this time. So you'll be getting that.
And we're hoping what that will do is open up more leads and tips from the community that we can apprehend this individual. Thank you.
HAYLEY THOMPSON, SKAGIT COUNTY CORONER: Good morning, my name is Hayley Thompson, I'm the Skagit County Coroner. My role in this is that we are involved in determining the cause and manner of death. In addition to confirming identification of these victims.
At this point in time I have not gained entrance into the scene, they're still processing. And until that contact is made with me for me to enter in, I have not seen any of these victims. I have not had a chance to get any information yet.
The plan is, is once I gain access into the scene, I will do my part in processing and transporting those individuals to the Skagit Valley Hospital, where an autopsy will take place. I have a pathologist on call, who is willing to start that process as soon as we have the go- ahead, and have the individuals with us. I will not be able to release any information on these victims until
the autopsy is complete. We need to confirm their identification, there was a lot of people in the mall. And we just can't rule out anything. I hope to have some information for you as soon as that is completed and we've confirmed that. But at this time, I'm just waiting for my initial response to the scene. Thank you.
[11:26:29]
MAYOR STEVE SEXTON, BURLINGTON, WASHINGTON: Steve Sexton, Mayor of the City of Burlington. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families who were affected by this tragedy last night. There are people waking up this morning and their world is changed forever. The City of Burlington is probably changed forever. But I don't think our way of life needs to change in our community.
This is a senseless act. It was the world knocking on our doorstep, and it came to our little community here. And we had a tremendous response from our first responders. I want to thank everybody that responded. 26 agencies, almost 200 individuals. And they did a fantastic job securing that scene, getting people out that were in danger. And I know that now our support goes with them to help them extend the long arm of the law to bring the son of a bitch to justice who did this to our community.
And our community comes together in times of tragedy, and we're going to do it again. And I just want to let everybody out there know, any information you may have on who might have done this, please contact the authorities. And again, thoughts and prayers to the families, as they -- as their lives are changed forever. And we just want everybody in the community to know that we're going to get beyond this. So, thank you.
UNKNOWN WOMAN: All right, at this point we'll open it up for questions. I do want to let you know we have some representatives here from State Patrol, as well as ATF and the FBI, in case you have any questions that relate to those items.
REPORTER: Lieutenant, can you tell us anything about what we know of the suspect, and where he might be?
CAMMOCK: Well at this point, the suspect appears to be a male, probably late teens, mid-20s. You'll see by the photo in there he looks younger. Black shirt, black shorts. Whereabouts are unknown at this point. REPORTER: Do you have a preliminary identification on him? You've
seen a great picture of him, do you not have leads as to who he is?
CAMMOCK: Yeah, we've been getting a number of tips and leads in, but nothing at this point that has led to an arrest.
REPORTER: Do you know his name?
CAMMOCK: Do we know his name? I'm ...
REPORTER: Where he lives?
CAMMOCK: ... we do not have an identity on the individual yet. And we could certainly use the community's help on that.
REPORTER: Any word on the motive?
REPORTER: You say he came in to (ph) without a gun and then had one 10 minutes later, what does that tell you? CAMMOCK: It appeared that he walked into the mall on his own first.
What he was doing there I don't know at this point. And then later on, the video image picks him up in Macy's with a -- with the rifle.
REPORTER: So you think this is a -- possibly reaching -- premeditated, the rifle was planted, he placed it somewhere?
CAMMOCK: You know, at this point we're so early on in the investigation, I'd just be speculating on that. I don't know.
REPORTER: What was the time difference between the first entry and time to rifle (ph) in the mall (ph)?
CAMMOCK: Appears to be 10 minutes or so.
REPORTER: Any preliminary word on a motive from cops all say (ph) the witnesses?
CAMMOCK: No. At this point in time, like I said with -- we're only about 12 hours into this, so we haven't even gotten through the crime scene. We were interviewing in excess of 20 people last night, or more. And again, any prediction at this point would just be speculation.
REPORTER: Is there link between the victims?
CAMMOCK: Excuse me?
REPORTER: Have you found any link on the victims, any link, any common, anything that tied them together?
CAMMOCK: Well, as Hayley said as well, we're still working through identifications and contacting family members, and doing victimology and all of that.
[11:30:00]
So it's just too preliminary to comment on that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So this was the makeup section. Do you believe he was targeting this area?
CAMMOCK: I don't know at this point what his intention or motives were.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Was the weapon recovered at the scene or does he still have it?
CAMMOCK: No, we recovered the weapon at the scene.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was it?
CAMMOCK: It a rifle and I'm not going to disclose any more about the caliber or rounds fired or anything because, again this, is still an emerging investigation. We got a suspect out there that has information, things like that and so it's preliminary for me to start talking about physical evidence.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why do you believe the suspect is Hispanic?
CAMMOCK: Well, I think that's conclusions drawn by people that have looked at the photograph, dark hair, photographs aren't exact replicas because we're taking off security footage, but appears to be a little bit darker complexion. So I suppose the race could be, you know, anything, but that's why conclusions are being drawn there right now. You can take a look at the photo yourself and see what conclusion you drew.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a report a woman was in the dressing room in the makeup section and she heard a man yelling a woman's name over and over again. Can you talk about that if that was a possible motive he was targeting somebody in that makeup area?
CAMMOCK: I can't speak to that, no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you heard that?
CAMMOCK: I'm not going to speak to the specific facts of the investigation right now about what we have heard, what we haven't heard and what's gone on because, again, when you're talking with so many different people, witnesses, you know, victims, people around there. We want to make sure that we get all of the information first and sort out what's factual and what might not be.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you believe that suspect is still in the area?
CAMMOCK: I don't know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can we talk to the FBI real quickly and if there's any reason to suspect terrorism here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Michael Kinesen (ph), assistant special agent in charge of the Seattle Field Office and we have no indicia that this is a terrorism act at this point in time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What makes you say that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no evidence to point to it at this point in time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you discount that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't discount it, but I can't conclude it either. We're still in the preliminary stages of the investigation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lieutenant, do you believe that he acted alone or possibly accomplices?
CAMMOCK: At this point, we're just looking for one individual.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you know how he got to the mall? Did you find a car or anything belonging to him? CAMMOCK: Right now we are just working off the surveillance footage, which only allows us a view inside and around the immediate mall. We don't have any exterior at this point.
(CROSSTALK)
CAMMOCK: Hang on just a second, what was that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How long did the shooting last? How long was he inside Macy's?
CAMMOCK: I don't have an exact count on that. It was, you know, it was quite, you know, quick. It wasn't a long length of time. Minute or so on film.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is your identification of the suspect solely based on the video or did you have people tell you a description of the suspect?
CAMMOCK: Right now I think our best imagery is coming from the screen capture off of the video and from there hopefully people that know and recognize the individual will help us do confirmation on what facts we do or don't have.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many witnesses were there?
CAMMOCK: What's that? I don't have an exact count, but we have in excess of 20 that we took out as Assistant Chief Moser said we had so many patrons of the mall that were there who stuck around, employees and things like that. So we were interviewing for over an hour last night with multiple detectives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It seems like the identification of the victims is a critical part of this investigation. Can you talk in broad terms about just how difficult that is because you have a crime scene that needs to be processed, but here we have a suspect that's on the loose that may have ties four or five victims, five victims, yet we don't have the identities yet because it's part of the scene. But that's critical information to know now as soon as we can to try to make the connection. Can you talk a little bit about the challenges?
CAMMOCK: Let me tell you probably one of the most difficult moments for us last night was knowing that there were family members outside wondering about their loved one was in there, and, you know, we were restricted by the time it takes to clear and make it safe so we don't have more victims in there.
You know, clearing them all for potentially a second shooter or third shooter we didn't know at that time until we clear and got facts of that.
[11:35:03]The relationship is certainly is, but at the same time we have to be able to reconstruct this crime scene in a way that when we bring this individual to justice that there is a fair and objective and transparent case that's presented on what his actions do. So that does take time. And we want to make sure that we're very careful and we're very cautious in our approach and that we're very thorough as well. So it does take time in that regard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lieutenant, where was he last seen and do you have any reason to believe that he had help in getting away, a getaway driver. He was apparently walking towards the freeway. Is that where people saw him last?
CAMMOCK: The surest thing I have right now is just from the security camera footage from inside the store. So when he exited the building I can't speak to routes and things like that right now because, you know, again it would just be speculating.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What have you learned about why he stopped shooting? Was he confronted or just stopped?
CAMMOCK: We're 12 hours into this. More information is unfolding. I don't know what his motivations were. I don't know what his motivation was to do this. I don't know what his motivation was to continue. I don't know what his motivation was to stop. I certainly plan to find out through the investigation to the best of our ability.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are going to take two more questions.
CAMMOCK: I'm sorry what was that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you know if anyone confronted him at all?
CAMMOCK: I don't know that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Should the community be worried about going out or avoid areas that you guys are investigating?
CAMMOCK: You know, right now we would appreciate if they would stay away from the Cascade Mall only because we're trying to get work done there and we have the area closed off and we don't feel it's an unsafe area to be right now.
It's just complicated with the closures and things like that so we don't want any accidents there. In the broader commune, no. I think it's a very safe community to be in and what we're actually hoping for is that people will take a look at the photographs that we're producing and putting out there and go out and about.
If they spot that individual to contact law enforcement. We have a couple of different ways to do that. We have a tip line number that's on there that will ring direct try to our 24 hour dispatch center and those tips will be forwarded to investigators to follow.
And there's also, will be e-mail on there that goes to an investigations group that will receive that and then also we have crime stoppers that you can make a notification too as well.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Should other businesses in the area, we get a lot of questions if Target is open, Red Robin, stay way, stuff like that? CAMMOCK: The strip mall over by Target I understand is open. The rest of it is closed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you very much for coming. We'll be putting some information out through our press releases and Twitter and Facebook pages. We don't plan to have another press conference at this time. If we get new information that warrants a press conference, we'll let you know.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, 12 hours after a man walked into a shopping mall, into a Macy's near the makeup counter there in Burlington, Washington State at the Cascade Mall, and opened fire killing five people, four women and one man.
Now the search intensified for that individual. Police were saying although they could and that they release a surveillance photo showing a young man they described as now in his late teens or early 20s.
The search continues. There is the surveillance video and they are asking for the public's assistance. You heard from the coroner earlier who said, she has yet to enter that building in which to remove those five bodies.
Alberto Moya who is a CNN producer is there. He was in that press conference and also joining us law enforcement analyst, Tom Fuentes.
First, Alberto, to you. So this is a very delicate search as well as investigation and they have still kept this area virtually untouched while investigators try to piece together what happened and where the suspect maybe.
ALBERTO MOYA, CNN PRODUCER: That's right, Fredricka. And I think that one of the most important pieces of that puzzle that you mentioned is specifically the identity of the suspect. Right now the authorities do not know who he is. They do not know his name.
All that they have to go right now (inaudible) this press conference is simply the surveillance photographs that they put together. The one thing that we did learn about the timeline of the sequence of events that happened inside the mall.
The police are pointing out that cameras did pick up the suspect walking without a gun in his hands. Ten minutes later, the cameras picked them up again, this time with a rifle and eventually picking up the shooting hand the moment that the suspect goes out here and goes of the mall.
[11:40:03]The other interesting point that caught my attention was that there was a representative from the FBI here who was asked specifically about any connection to terrorism and he said that right now there's no connection to terrorism, no evidence about terrorism, but he still cannot discount it.
Very likely because we are still very early on in the stages of investigation. The mayor of Burlington very emotional, very, very upset about what had happened here and I think that he's echoing the sentiment of the people that live in this town that are shaken by what's happened here.
WHITFIELD: Tom, it is still fresh. It's only been 12 hours. Does it seem unusual in your view that the bodies would still be in place there, five people who were killed and that investigators say they are still trying to go through evidence on the scene.
TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Fredricka, that's not unusual. You know, in the investigation of the Sandy Hook shooting of the 4 and 5-year-old children in that school, many of the ones that were obviously killed their bodies remained on the floor of that school for almost 24 hours.
In Aurora, Colorado, the mass shooting many of the bodies were there about 18 hours. So the reason these crime scenes take so long is that the shooter might have dropped some hair follicles or some other material that's very difficult and very easily disturbed.
So the crime scene investigators want to have a very pristine crime scene for as long as they can do it. Now if there's a chance that the victims can be saved, they are immediately going to be transported to the hospitals. But as far as the scene itself, they are trying to avoid any potential contamination of that.
WHITFIELD: And of course we've seen that surveillance photo there of the suspect. And one would believe that there are a number of cameras perhaps in the parking lot as well that investigators are pouring through any kind of visuals to see if they can see what kind of track this individual may have taken once leaving that makeup counter in that Macy's, Tom?
FUENTES: Right. It sounds like they don't have as many cameras out in the parking lot as many other malls do, but we do have cameras showing him entering the mall. Then they are going to be trying to put together every video camera in that mall to see if they track him chronologically as he makes his way from the entrance to that Macy's makeup section and see where along the way he may have picked up that gun that he was able to use in Macy's.
WHITFIELD: All right, Tom Fuentes, Alberto Moya, thank you so much. The investigation and the manhunt all intensifying there in Washington State. Appreciate it.
We'll take a short break and continue our coverage. We're here at Hofstra University, which is the stage is being set for the first presidential debate.
Also in the nation's capital is the dedication for the new Smithsonian African-American Museum History and Culture. President Obama soon to take the stage to give his remarks. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:46:30]
WHITFIELD: Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at Hofstra University, a place of the first presidential debate, but what you're looking at are live pictures of the dedication of the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture.
Up on stage right now is the founding director, Lonnie Bunch. He's soon to introduce the special guest, which is the president of the United States, President Barack Obama.
Lonnie Bunch is getting huge credit for having made all of this happen. This is a 400,000-square-foot building right at the foot of the Washington Monument and right in between the U.S. capitol and the White House and he had been campaigning for a very long time to see this happened.
We've heard from President George W. Bush earlier who signed the 2003 legislation to help release those federal funds. It's a $540 million project, but half of the money came from the federal government, half of the money came from private donation.
And Mr. Bunch is being credited as being someone who was very good at delicately twisting a lot of arms across the country to make donations and to make financial contributions so he really is considered a real hero as it pertains to making this museum happen.
He and President Obama like try to have been pretty good friends, Lonnie Bunch was the president of the Chicago Historical Society and then he was a Smithsonian curator and now he's the founding director.
So as the president is soon to address the audience there, a number of invited guests from donors to dignitaries there in Washington and beyond it will be interesting to note what kind of comments he makes.
Is he going to keep it strictly to this African-American Museum? There's a lot going on across the country. We talked about the shooting in a shopping mall in Washington State and this while tensions have been building in Charlotte, North Carolina as a result of the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, a 43-year-old man.
CNN's Sunlen Serfaty is with me. She often covers the White House and now she is covering this presidential debate to take place in just two days here on the campus of Hofstra University here in Hempstead, New York.
So it's just two days away. The stage is being set. The debate stage is about a mile from here at the sports complex. It's used to hosting wrestling matches and basketball games.
But instead it will be the showdown of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton two very different candidates, who are even preparing for this debate in a very different way this weekend.
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONENT: Absolutely. It really puts a contrast and there are thousand personality already on display. We know that Hillary Clinton has been preparing for now about a month. She's really been hitting the briefing books.
She's been running through some questions with her advisors and interestingly enough she's also enlisting the help of co-author of the book called "The Art of The Deal." This author who is now been very outspoken about Donald Trump.
Really trying to get into window into Donald Trump's personality and figure out what makes him tick, essentially figure out how to get under his skin up there on the debate stage.
We know that Donald Trump also is hitting briefing books, studying up on some policy. We know RNC Chair Reince Priebus has been involved in some debate prep sessions throughout this weekend.
And he too similarly with Clinton has been going over clips of past Clinton debates as Clinton is doing what Trump -- trying to really figure out some different angles. Certainly there is expectation of what is going to happen in the debate stage, what sort of Donald Trump, what sort of Hillary Clinton will come.
[11:50:03]I think for Hillary Clinton, that's one of the biggest calculation is how do you approach the stage when you don't know which Donald Trump will show up.
WHITFIELD: And you know, it's interesting because she's in Chappaqua, New York at her home preparing, pouring over notes, talking to advisers, whereas Donald Trump is at a rally today in Roanoke, Virginia with his advisers as well. This is, perhaps, a difference of style between the two.
SERFATY: Absolutely. You almost see Donald Trump mocking or taunting Hillary Clinton. He's been out campaigning all week. She's been relatively quiet at her home, studying her briefing books and Donald Trump has taken to the campaign and said, look, I'm out here. Hillary Clinton is preparing for the debate.
I don't know, some may say she's sleeping. So almost trying to get under her skin a little bit before they even meet up there on the debate stage.
We do know that Donald Trump is not yet running through full pledge mock debates. This is something that he says he's never done it in the past. That's something she is doing, really going through all the steps as she prepares for Monday.
WHITFIELD: Do historians or people who study debates believed that he has been preparing, saying he's not preparing in a more studied fashion than some traditional candidates might, but perhaps he's just doing in his own way?
SERFATY: Yes, I think Donald Trump one thing we know is he does everything. I think there is tempering of expectations for both sides. What's interesting is we've seen Republicans, the RNC and the Trump campaign say, remember, this is a polished debater in Hillary Clinton.
She's taken the debate stage many times, almost lowering the bar for himself. We see a setting of expectations from the Clinton side as well saying, you know, he is unpredictable. He is a TV star. He comes with that sort of persona up on stage. It will be interesting to see how each of them bob and weave in the moment and bring their own levels of expectations.
WHITFIELD: It's interesting to hear some analysts say that you can be over prepared, as opposed to, you know, those who have said coming into this and just relying kind of on style versus substance, you know, perhaps you have a greater advantage than the one who may, you know, too studied on it.
SERFATY: I think this is going to be a challenge for Hillary Clinton here because we have learned that she is really pouring over the (inaudible) going back to early August has been requesting materials. I think this is a challenge for her.
What's interesting, President Obama was asked this week what sort of advice he would give to his former secretary of state and he said just be yourself.
I think this is a challenge for Hillary Clinton, that she's faced throughout her career, not only coming on stage and being prepared but bringing the authenticity, her personality. All of that I think will be really important for her.
WHITFIELD: She has a great, wicked sense of humor and that she needs to find opportunities in which to convey that to really connect with audiences.
SERFATY: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: Most people know, fairly certain that she knows policy. She is in touch with issues, but she needs to be open to reveal more of herself.
SERFATY: I think there's a debate going on within the Clinton campaign, how much do you bring that? You want to balance out. She doesn't want to turn into a lecturer of Donald Trump. So there is that balance that she has to approach.
Keep in mind, this is a 90-minute debate, a long debate, there are many key moments. You have a few make or break moments to either reply with a lecture or a quick snippet. That makes all the difference in the end.
WHITFIELD: There are three categories in which this 90-minutes is comprising. They do have an idea of which direction they need to go with their messages. Sunlen, thank you so much.
So, Lonnie Bunch, the founding director now has just wrapped up his remarks there at the opening of the Smithsonian Museum of African- American Culture of history.
You can see the landscape where it is. It's an incredible location, this bronze, kind of lace-like building. It is eight levels. Three of which are underground. It covers everything from slavery to movements, politics, sports, entertainment, and education.
Lonnie Bunch introducing the president of the United States. Let's listen in to President Barack Obama as soon as he, I guess, gets out of that chair right there, and once Lonnie Bunch then wraps up his remarks. Let's listen in.
OK, we are eyewitness like you are. This seating of certain special guests there who have joined the stage. It is a remarkable building and it's a remarkable experience when one does have an opportunity to go there. You heard president bush say every American should come here. It's an emotional experience and a journey of history.
[11:55:05]Let's watch and listen to the president of United States, President Barack Obama.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you. Thank you. James Baldwin once wrote for while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard." So while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard.
Today, as so many generations have before, we gather on our national mall, to tell an essential part of our American story, one that has at times been overlooked. We come, not just for today, but for all time.
President and Mrs. Bush, President Clinton, Vice President and Dr. Biden, Chief Justice Roberts, Secretary Skorton, Reverend Butts, distinguished guests, thank you. Thank you for your leadership in making sure this tale is told.
We're here in part because of you, and because of all those Americans, the Civil War vets, the Civil Rights foot soldiers, the champions of this effort on Capitol Hill, who for more than a century kept the dream of this museum alive, and includes our leaders from Congress, Paul Ryan, Nancy Pelosi.
It includes one of my heroes, John Lewis, who as he has so often took the torch from those who came before him, and brought us past the finish line. It includes the philanthropists, and benefactors, and advisory members who have so generously given not only their money but their time.
It includes the Americans who offered up all the family keepsakes tucked away in grandma's attic. And of course it includes a man without whose vision and passion and persistence we would not be here today, Mr. Lonnie Bunch.
What we can see of this building, the towering glass, the artistry of the metalwork, is surely a sight to behold. But beyond the majesty of the building, what makes this occasion so special is the larger story it contains.
Below us, this building reaches down 70 feet, its roots spreading far wider and deeper than any tree on this mall, and on its lowest level, after you walk past remnants of a slave ship, after you reflect on the immortal declaration that all men are created equal, you can see a block of stone.
On top of this stone sits a historical marker, weathered by the ages, and that marker reads "General Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay spoke from this slave block during the year 1830." I want you to think about this. Consider what this artifact tells us about history, about how it's told, and about what can be cast aside.
On a stone where day after day, for years --
